The present invention generally relates to an improvement in customization of automatic image presentation. Specifically, the present invention relates to the dynamic modification of hanging protocols based on a user's selection of additional display rules.
Picture archiving and communication systems (“PACS”) connect to medical diagnostic imaging devices and employ an acquisition gateway (between the acquisition device and the PACS), storage and archiving units, display workstations, databases, and sophisticated data processors. These components are integrated together by a communication network and data management system. A PACS has, in general, the overall goals of streamlining health-care operations, facilitating distributed remote examination and diagnosis, and improving patient care.
A typical application of a PACS system is to provide one or more medical images for examination by a medical professional. For example, a PACS system can provide a series of x-ray images to a display workstation where the images are displayed for a radiologist to perform a diagnostic examination. Based on the presentation of these images, the radiologist can provide a diagnosis. For example, the radiologist can diagnose a tumor or lesion in x-ray images of a patient's lungs.
However, before a user is able to view images on a display workstation, the images may undergo preprocessing and processing. In other words, preprocessing and processing functions are applied to images before a user views the images. For example, when raw image data (image data that is received from an imaging modality and has not undergone any preprocessing or processing) is initially received by a PACS system, one or more preprocessing functions are applied to the raw image data. Typically, the preprocessing functions applied to raw image data are modality-specific enhancements. Modality-specific enhancements can include, for example, contrast or frequency compensation functions specific to a particular x-ray imaging device. For example, contrast preprocessing functions may be characterized by the following parameters: GT (contrast type), GA (rotation amount of GT curve), GC (rotation center for GT), and GS (density shift, the amount of shifting applied to GT). The frequency preprocessing functions may be characterized by the following parameters: RN (frequency rank), RE (frequency enhancement), and RT (frequency type). Each preprocessing function may represent a linear or non-linear function, function modification, or function parameter. The preprocessing functions may be applied to raw image data any time prior to the image processing and display.
The preprocessing functions may be selected based, for example, on an anatomical region to which the raw image data corresponds. In other words, the preprocessing functions selected may vary depending on whether the raw image data represents, as examples, the head, neck, chest, abdomen, breast, lungs, pelvis, or shoulders. The preprocessing functions may vary for each anatomical region due to the differences in tissue, bone, and blood vessel density and prevalence.
Once the image data has been preprocessed, a user can access the image data from a display workstation. In general, one or more images representing the image data are displayed on the display workstation. The images typically are displayed in a particular spatial layout and/or temporal sequence. In other words, the images may be displayed in certain positions on a display device relative to each other (a spatial layout, for example). The images may also be displayed in a certain ordered sequence by displaying image A first, followed by image B, followed by image C, and so on (a temporal sequence, for example). The spatial and/or temporal presentation of images is directed by a set of display rules. A display rule may include a set of instructions stored on a computer-readable media that direct the presentation of images on a display workstation. A set of display rules is known as a hanging protocol. In general, a hanging protocol is a series of display rules that dictate the spatial and/or temporal layout and presentation of a plurality of images.
However, the user may desire to employ additional display rules to alter or modify a presentation of images at a display device. For example, the user may wish to present additional images adjacent to currently displayed images. In another example, the user may wish to present additional images after the current images are reviewed.
With increasing volumes of examinations and images, a reduction of radiologists and mounting pressures on improved productivity, radiologists are in dire need of reducing the amount of their time spent customizing hanging protocols to meet their individual preferences. In addition, radiologists expend a considerable amount of time adjusting a presentation of images at a display workstation after a computer-aided diagnosis (“CAD”) has revealed one or more objects of interest in the images. For example, after a CAD reveals a possible lesion in a patient anatomy, the radiologist may then wish to display previously acquired images of the same patient anatomy to see if any change has occurred in the anatomy. As the default hanging protocol does not automatically display the previously acquired images, the radiologist must search for the images and wait for the images to load in a preferred location and sequence before reviewing the images.
Typically, radiologists must repeatedly select the same or similar display rules to be applied to a set of images (after a default hanging protocol has been employed to present the images in a default manner). In addition, radiologists repeatedly select a same or similar sequence of display rules to be applied to a set of images (again, after a default hanging protocol has been employed to present the images in a default manner). A considerable amount of time is spent repeatedly selecting the same display rules or the same sequence of display rules. Therefore, a need exists for reducing and alleviating rote, repetitive tasks (such as repeatedly selecting the same display rules or sequence of display rules). Such a need can be met by dynamically modifying default hanging protocols so as to incorporate display rules repeatedly selected by a radiologist, for example. Doing so would allow radiologists to more quickly obtain images that are automatically displayed according to their individual preferences. The user may then focus more of their time on the primary task of diagnosis.